If there’s someone who knows Tom Brady well, it’s Rob Gronkowski. The former tight end has now spoken about his former teammate, drawing a bold comparison between him and Jerod Mayo, the new head coach of the New England Patriots.

Tom Brady is widely regarded as the best quarterback in NFL history. He entered the league in 2000, quickly becoming the starter for the New England Patriots following Drew Bledsoe’s injury.

However, it wasn’t until 2010 that he got who would become his best partner on the field. With the 42nd overall pick in the NFL Draft, the Patriots selected Rob Gronkowski, a remarkable tight end who built a dynasty alongside Brady in New England.

Gronk makes bold comparison between Jerod Mayo and Tom Brady

The partnership between Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski was one of the most feared in the NFL. The tight end quickly became Brady’s most important target, winning four Super Bowls in their 11 years together.

Earlier this year, the Patriots decided to part ways with Bill Belichick, who coached both Brady and Gronk during their time in New England. The club hired Jerod Mayo as his replacement, bringing a lot of doubts to the fans about the possible success they could achieve with him.

However, it seems like Gronkowski is comfortable with Mayo taking over the team after Belichick’s departure. The former tight end praised the new head coach, drawing a bold comparison between him and Tom Brady.

“Jerod Mayo was just a phenomenon on the football field with lining every one up and also in the meeting rooms as well,” Gronkowski said on Julian Edelman’s “Games With Names” podcast on Tuesday. “He knew where every player needed to be during any situation that occurred on the defensive side of the ball. He knew how to read offenses, he knew when to call out plays, and he was always correct when he’d call a play out, or else he was just making the whole defense aware of when that play was going to be called. … He was just always alert, and you could always tell that was going to translate into the next phase of his life.

“Jerod Mayo was the Tom Brady on the defensive side of the ball,” Gronkowski added.

The selection of Jerod Mayo as the new head coach has a clear rationale. The club comes from the leadership of a defensive mastermind like Bill Belichick, and the front office wants to continue this strategic vision with their former linebackers coach.

How good was Jerod Mayo as player?

Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady are very familiar with Jerod Mayo. The former linebacker entered the league in 2008 when the New England Patriots selected him with the 10th overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Mayo played for eight years with New England, earning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2008, receiving two Pro Bowl selections, and contributing to the Patriots’ victory in Super Bowl XLIX.

Fernando Franco is an accomplished writer and sports journalist specializing in soccer, NFL, MLB, and MMA. Since joining Bolavip US in 2022, he has significantly broadened his sports journalism repertoire, offering deep insights and coverage. Fernando’s writing career began in 2013, and over the years, he has made notable contributions to leading sports media outlets, including Sopitas.com, Diario AS USA, and Goal. His articles are well-regarded for their depth and analytical approach. Fernando earned his degree in Communication from the prestigious Autonomous National University of Mexico (UNAM), equipping him with a robust foundation in media studies.